


If you can't make organic offspring, cloning is fine.

by WaffleDogOfficial



Series: Naruto Sci-Fi Week 2019 [4]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Post-Canon, Day 6- Cloning 101, Established Relationship, Family Dynamics, Found Family, M/M, Naruto Sci-Fi Week 2019, Sasuke uses Amenotejikara for really dumb things, Sometimes your family is just made up of two men and a clone, Uchiha Sasuke-centric, Unconventional Families, cloning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-23
Updated: 2019-12-15
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:40:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21533860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WaffleDogOfficial/pseuds/WaffleDogOfficial
Summary: Sasuke has a simple life. He has a great husband, an overpowered doujutsu, and a decent job. But when Naruto comes back from Otogakure with a clone of himself, Sasuke’s life gets just a little more complicated.
Relationships: Uchiha Sasuke & Uzumaki Naruko, Uchiha Sasuke/Uzumaki Naruto, Uzumaki Naruto & Uzumaki Naruko
Series: Naruto Sci-Fi Week 2019 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1548175
Comments: 18
Kudos: 152
Collections: Naruto Sci-fi Week 2019





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for Day 6 of Naruto Sci-fi Week using the prompt “Cloning 101.” Alternate title: “Two Men and a Clone.”

When Naruto had gone to Otogakure, leaving Sasuke in charge, Sasuke had thought nothing of it.

The day before, they had received a message addressed to the Seventh Hokage. According to the message, Orochimaru had very important news. Despite his suspicions, Naruto had gone and left Sasuke in charge, to the dismay of most of Konoha.

In spite of their animosity, Sasuke had gotten to work. By sunset, he had dismissed Shikamaru and the other assistants and he was prepared to do the rest of the work alone. With Naruto away, he didn’t have much to do at their home anyway.

Sasuke was putting the finishing touches on a letter to the Raikage when someone burst in through the window. The wind blew throughout the room, spreading all the documents haphazardly.

Sasuke glanced up from his work to glare at the interruption. To his surprise, instead of an annoying messenger, Naruto stood in front of him, eyes wide open in panic. Sasuke blinked at the sight of his husband. _ He left just this morning... It normally takes two or three days to get to Otogakure. _

“Sasuke!” Naruto yelled.

“Naruto? What happened?” Sasuke asked, a small frown forming between his brows as he examined Naruto. Naruto was standing in front of him, long Hokage cloak covering most of his body. He was holding something in his arms, but whatever he held, it was hidden by the cloak.

“Orochimaru is crazy, Sasuke!” Naruto yelled.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. “I think we both know that already, idiot. What did he do this time?”

Naruto bit his lip-- a clear indicator that he didn’t have the words to voice his thoughts. With a sigh, he pushed the cloak back and put down what he was holding down on the floor.

Sasuke’s eyes widened at the reveal. In front of him was a little girl. She had long blonde hair held in twin pigtails at the back of her head. She looked like Naruto, with the same wide and round face. However, instead of Naruto’s sky blue, her eyes were black and her cheeks were free of any markings.

Upon being placed on the floor, she looked up at Sasuke in trepidation. Sasuke had no idea how to respond.  _ What in the world? What did Orochimaru do this time? _

The girl tried to glare at Sasuke, but her face was green and she swayed side to side. Naruto steadied her by the shoulder. She made one last-ditch attempt before her body gave up. She bent forward, vomiting on top of Naruto’s new office rug.

“Argh!’ Naruto screamed, taking a step back but still keeping his hands on top of her shoulders.

“Naruto...” Sasuke began, trying to sound as demanding as possible. “Explain.”

However, instead of answering to Sasuke, Naruto bent forward to whisper something into the girl’s ear. The girl nodded and without hesitation, Naruto picked her up and placed her on the sofa.

“Hand me a cup of water,” Naruto said as he wiped her mouth with a tissue.

The girl sat silently, letting Naruto wipe her face, still looking nauseous. Sasuke frowned impatiently but did as asked, fetching a glass of water from the nearby jar. He passed it over to Naruto, who put it to the girl’s lips to drink.

“Did you run to and from Otogakure in one day?” Sasuke asked. “Or did you stop somewhere on the way?”

“I ran the distance,” Naruto answered, not tearing his attention away from the girl. “Orochimaru just gave her to me and said to figure it out. I ran back to Konoha as fast as I could.”

“What do you mean Orochimaru gave her to you?”

Naruto sighed. He handed the glass to the girl, who took it and began to gulp down eagerly. Naruto turned his full attention toward Sasuke.

“Orochimaru made a clone of me,” Naruto said.

“A clone?” The girl had Naruto’s face, but she looked more like a daughter than a clone.

Naruto nodded. “Well, he said he changed some things around. I didn’t really get it and by the time he finished explaining everything, I was panicking. So I just said goodbye, picked her up, and left, running back to Konoha as fast as I could.”

“You ran back to Konoha?” Sasuke asked, raising an eyebrow. The girl looked up at the conversation.

“Yeah?”

“While carrying her?”

Naruto nodded.

“As fast as you could?”

“Yeah, what’s the big deal?”

Sasuke pinched the bridge of his nose. He couldn’t believe how dumb his husband could be.

“The big deal is that it’s no wonder the girl vomited when you put her down!” he yelled. “Running that fast made her nauseous! Be happy she didn’t faint.”

Naruto flinched in mortification before staring at the girl in alarm.

“No! I’m sorry!” he apologized profusely to the girl. “I didn’t mean to make you sick! I’m sorry! I forgot!”

The girl smiled wanly at Naruto as she took another sip of water but said nothing. Sasuke resisted the urge to roll his eyes.  _ She’s not loud enough to be Naruto’s clone. _

“Is she really a clone, Naruto?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Naruto said with a sigh as he leaned back on the sofa. Next to him, the girl took another sip of water. “And even if she wasn’t, it’s not like I could leave her there with Orochimaru.”

“What do you mean?”

Naruto glanced at the girl, who seemed content with the water in her hands. He smiled before turning his gaze back to Sasuke.

“Orochimaru basically threatened to get rid of her if I didn’t take her,” Naruto confessed. “Not in exact words though, ya know.”

Sasuke sighed to himself. He knew exactly what kind of words Orochimaru might have said. The bastard  _ would  _ kill a child without a second thought.

“What do you want to do with her?” Sasuke asked with a frown.

“I don’t know,” Naruto confessed. “I know we...” he glanced up at Sasuke nervously. “We... aren’t exactly... ready for kids, but I was hoping... that... ya know...”

Naruto avoided Sasuke’s eyes guiltily. Naruto had been asking about having children someday, but Sasuke was uncertain. He knew he would not be a good father and he wasn’t sure if he would ever be.

“I’ll go get Sakura,” Sasuke said instead of answering his rambling. “Make sure the girl doesn’t throw up again.”

With that statement, Sasuke left the Hokage’s office at a brisk walk, wanting more than anything to get away.

He knew Sakura was somewhere in the hospital doing the final rounds before the night shift. As he searched for her, he walked past nurses who ran away. He ignored them with the ease of long practice.

He found Sakura quickly. She was checking something on a clipboard as she talked to one of the nurses, a small frown on her forehead. Despite the frown, she appeared calm and collected.

“Sakura,” Sasuke said as he neared her side. Sakura turned to look at him with a smile while the nurse blanched and left.

“Sasuke-kun!” Sakura said. “What are you doing here? I thought you were doing Naruto’s work back at the Hokage’s office?”

“I was,” Sasuke said. “But Naruto is back in Konoha. There’s something you need to see.”

“Already back?” Sakura asked as she raised an eyebrow up. “But he left his morning!”

Sasuke nodded. “He did. But there were some... urgent matters that required him to return early.”

“Urgent?”

“You’ll see. Come.”

Sasuke turned around and began to make his way back to the Hokage’s office, walking quickly. Sakura followed at his side. He expected her to ask him questions, but her face was only furrowed in worry. Within a few minutes, they arrived at Naruto's office. Sasuke blinked when he stepped foot inside.

Naruto had the little girl on his lap. She was curled up against his chest, head nodding in exhaustion. Naruto was muttering something in her ear, a grin on his face as he wrapped his arms protectively around her. Something in Sasuke’s stomach fluttered at the sight.

“Naruto,” Sasuke said.

Naruto turned to look at Sakura and Sasuke by the doorway. He grinned at the sight of them while the girl opened her eyes, alert once more. From the corner of his eye, Sasuke could see that the soiled carpet was no longer there, presumably destroyed by Naruto or one of his shadow clones.

“Naruto!” Sakura said. “Who is the girl?”

“She’s my... uh... clone, I guess?” Naruto said. “Orochimaru made her for me, ya know.”

“Made her?!” Sakura’s voice was full of incredulity.

Naruto nodded. “He did some genetic engineering sh--stuff to make her using my DNA or something. He said the girl is supposed to be there for when I die or whatever.”

“For when you die?”

Naruto sighed, a look of pain passing across his face. “I’m not gonna be around forever, ya know. He said the girl could take my place eventually.”

“Well, what are you going to do with her?” Sakura asked, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

“I don’t know,” Naruto admitted, wrapping his arms more tightly around the girl.

Sasuke took a step closer. The girl looked up at him, her gaze shifting from Naruto to Sakura to Sasuke, and back again. Her dark eyes were panicked and her eyebrows were furrowed in worry.

“What’s going to happen to me?” she asked, speaking for the first time, her voice soft. “Orochimaru-sensei said you were going to be my father.”

Naruto twitched uncomfortably. “Well, ya see,” he began. “I don’t know... if... I mean... I... Sasuke...”

“We aren’t ready to be parents,” Sasuke said, coldly but firmly.

The girl flinched at the words and looked down at the floor. Naruto threw him a dirty look, but Sasuke only stared impassively back. _ It’s better for her to learn the truth than to get her hopes up. _

“I see,” the girl said. For a second, Sasuke worried that she had started crying, but her eyes remained dry and she only stared at the floor.

“But we’re not just gonna throw you out onto the street, ya know!” Naruto said with a fake grin. “We’re gonna make sure that you go live with someone nice, isn’t that right, Sasuke? Sakura?”

Sasuke grunted in assent.

“Of course!” Sakura nodded enthusiastically, kneeling in front of the girl. “We’re gonna make sure that you live somewhere where they will take care of you, right?”

“Right!” Naruto said.

“Oh,” the girl whispered, keeping her eyes focused on the floor.

Sakura grimaced. “Well, just so you know, my name is Sakura! I’m a doctor at the Konoha hospital. What’s your name?”

“My name?” the girl blinked up at Sakura. “I don’t have a name.”

“No name?” Sakura asked, glaring at Naruto, who shifted guiltily. “How come you don’t have a name yet?”

“I mean... Orochimaru said I could give her whatever name I wanted!” Naruto tried to defend himself. “I just haven’t had time to think of a good name, ya know!”

With that justification, he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. The girl stared up at him, waiting to be named with wide-open eyes.

“Naruko!” he said after a few seconds with a grin as he met her eyes. “Since you’re my clone, but a girl, you can be Naruko! Do you like that name?”

The girl opened her mouth to speak before Sasuke interrupted.

“Naruko?” Sasuke complained. “That’s one of the most unoriginal names I’ve ever heard. Give her something creative.”

Naruto huffed and hugged the girl closer to his chest. “Well, if it’s so unoriginal, why don’t you come up with a name?”

Sasuke paused to consider. Naruto and Sakura waited for him to speak expectantly. “Sasu--ko?” he finally muttered.

Naruto rolled his eyes before turning his gaze back to the girl on his lap. “Well, do you like the name Naruko?” he asked. “We can think of something else if you don’t like it.”

To Sasuke’s surprise, the girl nodded eagerly. She looked up at Naruto in awe. From Sasuke’s side, he heard a small sigh from Sakura. _ At least I’m not the only one who thinks it’s an unoriginal name. _

“I can look around for someone to take her in, Naruto,” Sakura said. “It’s getting late right now, though. You should take her home for the night until we can find someone we trust to adopt her.”

Naruto nodded, face serious. “Yeah, Naruko can sleep in the extra bedroom.” Naruko’s eyes widened and she pressed herself closer to Naruto. “We can make a plan tomorrow. For now, I’m exhausted.”

Sakura and Sasuke nodded. With their agreement, Naruto stood up, shifting Naruko in his arms to carry her more comfortably. She wrapped her arms around Naruto’s neck.

“Well, let’s go,” Naruto said. “I’m ready to lie down and sleep, ya know.”

Without another word, Naruto jumped out of the window and began to make his way home. Sasuke turned to follow him when Sakura pulled him back by the arm.

“The girl looks a lot like Naruto,” Sakura commented as she watched Naruto leaping away.

“I know,” Sasuke said, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. "She's supposed to be a clone of him."

“But, there’s something different about her,” she continued, scratching her chin thoughtfully.

“What do you mean?”

“She has your eyes, Sasuke-kun.”

A shiver ran down Sasuke’s spine. He wouldn’t put it past Orochimaru to implant the Sharingan onto someone else. Worried, Sasuke followed behind Naruto, waving goodbye to Sakura before following his husband. Unlike earlier, Naruto traveled slowly, keeping Naruko enclosed safely in his arms.

They arrived home in only a few minutes. Sasuke unlocked the door, holding it open for Naruto and Naruko to enter. Sasuke looked at the child in Naruto’s arms. Sometime during the journey, she had fallen asleep, no doubt exhausted by the events of the day.

“I’ll take her to the extra bedroom,” Naruto whispered.

Sasuke nodded. Without another word, Naruto left Sasuke standing at the entrance. Sasuke sighed, walked in, and sat down on the sofa. _ What the hell was Orochimaru thinking with making a clone of Naruto? And did he get more Sharingan somewhere? _

He covered his eyes with his forearm. The girl was strange. She had Naruto’s face and hair, but her eyes... they were so different. She was quiet too, unlike Naruto. He wondered how much of her truly was his husband.

“She’s sleeping,” Naruto said, sitting down next to Sasuke and leaning on his shoulder.

“Hn,” Sasuke grunted, enveloping Naruto in a hug. They fell silent, although Sasuke could tell that Naruto was bursting to talk. He waited. Predictably, Naruto broke the silence only a few seconds later.

“Can we keep her?” Naruto asked.  _ What is she, a dog? _

“Do you even know how to take care of children, Naruto?” Sasuke asked.

“Well... no... not really, but...” Naruto stuttered, leaning closer. Sasuke obliged, pulling his husband into his remaining arm.

“You don’t have enough free time,” Sasuke continued. “Our home is not prepared for children. Both of us have missions outside of the village often. The girl is not going to be easy to take care of.”

“Her name is Naruko.”

Sasuke sighed. “I still think that the name is unoriginal.”

Naruto chuckled. “She liked it though,” he said. “I think Orochimaru said too much stuff about me being her ‘father’ because she keeps talking to me like that.”

“She can be with a better family than us,” Sasuke said. “I’m sure we can find someone to take her in. You can even visit her if you want.”

“I guess,” Naruto agreed with a defeated sigh. “Still, I was...” He fell silent.

“I was?” Sasuke prodded.

“I was always hoping to have my own kids, ya know?” Naruto said wistfully. “Karin and I are the last Uzumaki that I know about. I always wondered if I would ever have kids to pass on the name.”

Sasuke looked into Naruto’s eyes. He saw the desire for a family: a continuation of the Uzumaki clan. Karin had refused to have children. If she and Naruto were to die, it would be the end of their bloodline.

“I’ll take care of her while you figure out who can take her in, Naruto,” Sasuke said, leaning closer to Naruto’s face. “I... I know it means a lot to you.”

Immediately, Naruto’s face lit up at the concession. “You mean it? What if you change your mind and you decide you want her to stay with us?”

Sasuke snorted. “That’s not going to happen.”

“If you say,” Naruto said, placing a small kiss on Sasuke’s neck. “Anyway, let’s go to bed. I’m exhausted.”

Sasuke nodded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sasuke doesn’t want to be a dad. Also, Naruko is a GREAT name. It's cute. This fic is currently around 75% written.   
> The next chapter is probably gonna be out next Sunday.


	2. Chapter 2

“Sasuke, I’m gonna make us breakfast,” Naruto whispered in Sasuke’s ear. “Join me when you wake up,”. Sasuke nodded sleepily. He kept his eyes closed, but he heard Naruto leaving their bedroom.

Alone and unable to go back to sleep, Sasuke sat up and stretched his arms over his head. He felt the joints crack. He winced.  _ Dammit, I’m getting old already. _

He glanced around the bedroom blearily, trying to get his mind to wake up. When it did, it reminded him of the events from the day before. He sighed.  _ I guess Naruto has a daughter now. _

Sasuke left the bed and headed toward the bathroom. He used the toilet, washed his face, and changed into fresh clothes, wondering how his day with Naruko would work out. Slightly more awake, he left the bedroom and headed toward the kitchen, where he could hear Naruto talking animatedly.

When he entered, he saw Naruto at the stove, flipping something over with a spatula. At the kitchen table, Naruko was struggling to bite into a pancake, her chin resting on the surface of the table.

“Morning,” Sasuke said.

“Good morning, Sasuke!” Naruto replied, beaming. 

Despite being married for years, the sight of a happy Naruto always made Sasuke smile. He walked closer and placed his arms around Naruto’s waist from behind. He placed a kiss on the back of his neck.

“I made us some pancakes!” Naruto said, flipping one onto a plate. “I know you don’t really like sweet stuff, so I cut down the sugar. I thought Naruko might like them though.”

From the table, Naruko chewed on her food, shifting her stare between Naruto and Sasuke. Her expression was full of curiosity.  _ I wonder what Orochimaru told her about our relationship. _

“Hn,” Sasuke grunted. He let go of Naruto and sat down at the table in front of Naruko. She took another bite of her pancake as she stared at Sasuke in silence.

“For you!” Naruto said cheerfully as he placed a plate full of pancakes in front of Sasuke. He then sat down on the chair next to him, close enough to touch.

_ Why did it have to be sweets?  _ Sasuke sighed. He took a bite of a pancake. To his delight, it was not as sweet as he had expected. Grateful, he took another bite.

“Do you like pancakes, Naruko?” Naruto asked as he smothered his breakfast in syrup. Sasuke wondered how he hadn’t died from a sugar overdose already.

Naruko nodded. “Yeah, but they’re a little sweet,” she said.

“Too sweet? That’s impossible!” Naruto said in an overdramatic tone. Naruko giggled. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

“Anyway, Naruko, I have to go to work in a little bit,” Naruto said. “I have to figure out a lot of stuff at the Hokage’s office.”

Naruko nodded in acknowledgment, her mouth full of food. She swallowed, waiting patiently for Naruto’s next words. Sasuke was unnerved by her behavior. He remembered Naruto had always been loud and impatient, especially as a child. Except for her looks, she wasn’t much like the man she was supposedly a copy of.

“Sasuke will keep you company,” Naruto continued. “He doesn’t have any missions right now, so he can take care of you today.”

Naruko’s eyes widened in alarm and she swallowed nervously. She looked up at Sasuke, eyes full of fear. She bit her lip when Sasuke stared at her coldly.

“With... Sasuke-san?” Naruko asked, playing with her fork.

“Yeah, I know he looks scary, but he can take very good care of you!” Naruto said. “If anything goes really wrong, I’ll go to your side though, ya know.”

“Promise?”

“Promise!” Naruto replied with a wide grin and thumbs-up. 

Naruko shifted uneasily in her chair, but she nodded. She spared Sasuke a nervous glance before returning to her meal, although she ate a lot less enthusiastically than before.

Sasuke ate in silence as he watched the girl from the corner of his eye. Naruko chewed slowly, despondent at being separated from Naruto. The three of them ate in silence for the next few minutes, the only sounds coming from the cutlery and occasional muttering from Naruto.

“Well, I’m done,” Naruto said once his plate was empty. He rubbed at his stomach and grinned. “I guess it’s time for me to go to work!”

“Have a good day at work, Naruto,” Sasuke said.

“Of course! And I’ll find Naruko somewhere great to live, ya know!” 

Naruto moved forward and pecked Sasuke on the lips. From there, he stood up and walked to Naruko’s side. The girl looked up at him in confusion but said nothing. Without hesitation, Naruto leaned down and placed a small kiss on the crown of her head. He ruffled her hair, displacing the twin pigtails. Naruko’s face turned red at the attention.

“Listen to Sasuke, okay, Naruko?” Naruto said, meeting her eyes. “He’s kind of grumpy, but he’s not gonna hurt you.”

“I... oh... okay,” Naruko replied, her face bright and red.

Naruto grinned and made his way out through the front door. “Have a good day!” he called out as he left, closing the door behind him.

Sasuke and Naruko looked at each other awkwardly, unsure of what to say. Both of them returned their attention to their meal. The silence stretched for longer.

“Is there anything you want to do today, Naruko?” Sasuke asked, breaking the long silence. 

Naruko shrugged, using her fork to play with the remains of her meal. “I dunno,” she muttered.

Sasuke resisted the urge to sigh and demand a real answer. He tried to remember his childhood before the Uchiha massacre.  _ What the heck did I like to do when I was her age? Wait... how old is she anyway? _

“How about the park?” Sasuke suggested. He remembered his mother taking him there a few times to play as a child.

“The park?” Naruko asked, raising her gaze from the plate to Sasuke.

Sasuke nodded and Naruko’s eyes lit up. “Really? We can go?” she shouted, sounding like Naruto for the first time.

“Just finish your breakfast and get ready.”

Naruko nodded with excitement as she shoved the rest of the pancakes into her mouth at once. She chewed furiously and swallowed, staring up at Sasuke with demand in her eyes.

“Let’s go!” she insisted.

**O-O-O-O-O**

Sasuke watched Naruko playing curiously. She was happy running and trying every piece of playground equipment. Despite her obvious happiness, her face remained mostly neutral, with only a small smile to demonstrate her joy.

He sat alone at one of the benches placed near the playground for easy parental supervision. A few people threw him dirty looks as they moved farther away, giving him a wide berth. Sasuke resisted the urge to roll his eyes.  _ As if I’d just randomly attack villagers. _

Once she got tired of running, she sat down by herself at the sandbox. She amused herself by shifting the sand, building little mounds. She spoke to no other children, preferring to sit alone and build.  _ She’s not much like Naruto. _

He watched her playing for a few hours. He would have let her play for longer, but his stomach rumbled in protest.

“Naruko,” he said, walking to stand behind her.

“Yes?” she asked, a small frown forming on her face.

“Let’s get something to eat. It’s getting late.”

Obediently, Naruko stood up, brushing the sand away from herself. Sasuke paid attention to her clothes for the first time. She was dressed in a white yukata with purple trimmings.  _ Orochimaru’s colors.  _ The sight disgusted him. He vowed to change that as soon as possible.

“Do you want ramen?” he asked, walking away. 

Naruko struggled to keep up with his longer strides. Sasuke slowed his pace to allow her to stay by his side.

“What’s ramen?” she asked. Out of everything, it was the least Naruto-like thing Sasuke had seen her do or say so far.

“A dish Naruto is overly obsessed with,” Sasuke said. “I’ve always wondered if his obsession with it was genetic or not.”

Naruko nodded, although it was obvious that she didn’t understand Sasuke’s words. They walked the rest of the way to Ichiraku.

They arrived before the lunch rush, with only a few seats already taken. Sasuke sat down at the main counter in front of the chef, Teuchi. He was one of the few people who had forgiven him after his defection from Konoha, and Sasuke was eternally thankful to the man for that.

“Good afternoon,” Sasuke said as he watched Naruko struggle to climb on top of the stool. “Two bowls of chashu ramen, please.”

“Of course!” Teuchi said, his back to them. “I’ll get right on that, Sasuke-san, Naruto-kun! Should I get started on the second bowl now or--”

The man turned around and blinked when he saw Naruko. Sasuke could only imagine his thoughts. Except for her eyes and the lack of cheek markings, she was the spitting image of Naruto. She stared up at the chef uncertainly, frowning at his attention.

Teuchi recovered quickly and he graced Naruko with a wide grin. “Oh! Hello, little one!” he said. “I expected to see Naruto instead. He likes to come in with Sasuke-san sometimes.”

Sasuke shook his head. “Her name is Naruko,” he explained. “I’m taking care of her until Naruto can figure out what to do with her.”

Naruko looked down at the counter and bit her lip at his words. Sasuke felt a strange stab of guilt at making her have that expression.  _ Still, it’s better that we don’t get her hopes up about what’s going to happen to her. _

“I see,” Teuchi said, scratching his chin thoughtfully. 

Sasuke wondered briefly what was going through his mind. He knew the man must have a lot of questions about the situation, but he was unsure if either of them would be satisfied with the answers. 

“Well, it’s very nice to meet you, Naruko-chan,” Teuchi said. “I’ve known Naruto since he was roughly the same size and age as you.”

“R-really?” she stuttered, chancing a glance up at the man. She pressed her hands together on top of her lap.

“Oh yes,” he said. “He was... maybe five years old when I first met him? I gave him a bowl of ramen on the house. Ever since then, he’s been my most loyal customer. And business has really picked up thanks to him!”

Naruko smiled. “That sounds really nice,” she said, her eyes bright with happiness.

Sasuke cleared his throat as he looked away. “She hasn’t tried ramen yet,” he said.

The chef chuckled. “Of course! Coming right up, the Hokage bowl! It’s my specialty!”

With that, he turned back to his work, cooking noodles and preparing the toppings. Naruko sat with her chin on top of the counter, staring at the bottles and condiments with a frown. She kicked her legs back and forth but otherwise was the picture of a perfectly-behaved child.

“I ordered the same thing for both of us,” Sasuke said. “Naruto likes it the most. I hope you like it, too.”

She stared fearfully at him before nodding, her attention turning back to the condiments. With nothing else to say, Sasuke turned his gaze away. He watched the chef working behind the counter.  _ This child is too quiet. Is she really Naruto’s clone? _

To Sasuke’s eternal gratitude, a few minutes later, the chef placed two large bowls of ramen in front of them. He looked down at Naruko. Her eyes were as wide as saucers as she took in the sight of her meal.

“Is this... all for me?” she asked in awe.

“It is,” Sasuke answered. “You don’t have to finish it all if you don’t want to, though.”

Naruko nodded wanly before taking a pair of chopsticks. She tried to separate them, but could not. Sasuke watched her struggling with the simple task for a few seconds before taking the chopsticks with his remaining hand and breaking them apart.

“Here,” he said as he handed them back. Naruko blushed in frustration. Sasuke sighed.  _ I guess she wanted to figure it out herself.  _

“Thanks for the meal,” Sasuke said as he bowed his head and grabbed his own pair of chopsticks. At his side, Naruko repeated along with a mutter.

Sasuke took his first bite, looking at Naruko from the corner of his eye. She was blowing on the hot noodles gently, trying to cool them down. Focused on trying to control the chopsticks, she placed a few noodles in her mouth and slurped. She chewed and swallowed. Immediately, her eyes brightened and she grinned widely.

“Wow! Sasuke-san! This is really good, y’ know!” Naruko said, turning her gaze up to look at Sasuke.

“Hn,” Sasuke grunted, taking another bite. He held himself back from sighing in relief.  _ She really is Naruto’s clone.  _

She continued eating her meal, slurping happily while she kicked her feet under the table. She ate quickly, finishing the large bowl despite her small size. When she ate the noodles, she drank the broth and let out a content sigh. With her meal finished, she placed her chin back on the counter.  _ That’s exactly the same thing Naruto does when he’s full _ . 

“Would you like more?” he asked.

She seemed to consider the question before shaking her head. “No, thank you. I’m pretty full right now, y’ know.”

Sasuke nodded as he got back to eating his ramen.  _ She even talks like Naruto. _

He finished his bowl soon after. He took out his wallet and paid, handing the ramen chef a bill. As he waited for his change, he looked once again at Naruko. To his surprise, she was fast asleep. She was snoring softly, her head cradled on top of her crossed arms. Something in his heart panged at the sight.  _ Why does she have to look so much like Naruto? _

“Oh, she fell asleep,” the chef whispered as he handed over the change.

“Yes,” Sasuke said, unsure what else he could say. He placed his hand on her shoulder. To his dismay, she didn’t wake up.

“Naruto was the same,” the ramen chef whispered with a chuckle. “He fell asleep the first time after he ate ramen. I had to carry him to the back and cover him with a blanket.” He grinned at the memory.

“Why didn’t you take him home?” Sasuke asked.

“I didn’t know where he lived back then,” the man explained with a shrug. “He did wake up a little embarrassed and confused, though.”

Sasuke turned his gaze between the chef and the girl. For a second, he was tempted to ask the man to carry her to the back room and let her sleep. However, he knew that if he did, Naruto would never forgive him.

Tentatively, he squeezed her shoulder. When she didn’t react, he moved his hand under her arm. Naruko remained asleep. Sasuke gulped.  _ I guess I’m going to have to carry her myself. _

Trying to gather his courage, he picked her up, carrying her the same way he had seen Naruto do the night before. Naruko stirred and for a second, Sasuke hoped she had woken up. She nuzzled closer and wrapped her arms around his neck instead.

“Well, isn’t that nice?” the chef said with a smile that was unfortunately completely sincere. __

Sasuke suppressed a blush of embarrassment. The girl seemed to weigh almost nothing in his arm. He held her closer.  _ Why am I the one acting like her father now? _

“I’ll be taking her home now,” he said as he walked away. Teuchi waved goodbye as he got back to work.

Sasuke walked through the streets of Konoha as fast as he dared with Naruko in his arm. He didn’t want to wake her up unless he absolutely had to.  _ At least when she’s asleep I don’t need to think about what to say to her.  _

As he walked, he noticed a lot of people turning to look at him. While he was used to that sort of treatment, to his shock, they seemed to smile when they saw the little girl hugging his neck. Sasuke was not sure if that reaction was better than running away in fear. He walked faster.

When he returned to his apartment, he headed to the guest room first. He placed Naruko on top of the mattress before covering her with a blanket. She slumbered on, oblivious of who was tucking her in.

“She sure is cute, isn’t she?” a familiar voice whispered in his ear, placing his chin atop Sasuke’s shoulder.

Sasuke did not flinch as he turned to give his husband a quick kiss on the cheek.

“I suppose,” he admitted, making sure to keep his voice as quiet as possible.

Naruto leaned forward to tuck a lock of hair away from Naruko’s face. He undid her pigtails, letting her blonde hair hang loose and form a halo around her body. He smiled, placing a hand on her cheek.

“Let’s talk elsewhere,” Naruto whispered as he moved away from Naruko. Sasuke nodded. Together, they left the guest room and headed toward the kitchen.

Naruto sat down at the dining table with a frustrated sigh. “Well, it turns out there’s a lot of paperwork we have to do,” he said.

Sasuke rolled his eyes as he sat down next to Naruto. “There’s always paperwork to do. You should just get your clones to help you with it.”

Naruto shrugged. “They help, but I still need to look at the big stuff with my original body, ya know.”

“Like what?” Sasuke began combing a hand through Naruto’s hair.

“Like what we’re going to do with Naruko,” he said. Sasuke stopped petting him as he looked at his husband with a frown.

“What  _ are  _ we going to do with Naruko?” he asked. He hoped Naruto wouldn’t ask him to take her in again. She was a good girl and thankfully quiet, but Sasuke knew he would not make for a good father.  _ Naruto might be good, but I will not be. _

“I’m looking for a good family to take her in,” Naruto said. “But it’s hard, ya know. It’s not like she’s just a random kid we found. Since she’s biologically my daughter, she can only go with people we trust completely. Otherwise, we might just end up with even more of a mess than now.”

Sasuke nodded. He hoped it would not take Naruto long to find that someone. He might not want Naruko to stay, but he also didn’t want her to be miserable.

Naruto sighed before turning to Sasuke with an exhausted grin. “Well, see you tonight, Sasuke,” he said. “I wanted to make sure you two were fine. Make something good of dinner, okay?”

Sasuke nodded. Naruto kissed him on the lips. Sasuke kissed him back, pressing himself closer. When they extricated themselves Naruto was flushed. 

“See you tonight, babe,” Naruto said with a cheeky grin on his face.

“See you, loser,” Sasuke responded.

Naruto chuckled before he left, disappearing through the window. Sasuke sighed to himself. With Naruto gone and with Naruko sleeping, he had nothing to do. Impatiently, he waited for Naruko to wake up. He had promised himself to buy her new clothes and that’s what he was going to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sasuke has no idea what being a father is like. Next chapter will come out next Sunday (probably).


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Hinata helps.

Unfortunately for Sasuke, it took Naruko a few hours to wake up from her nap. By the time she walked to the kitchen, it was late afternoon and Sasuke was preparing a shopping list.

“Good, you’re finally awake,” Sasuke said.

Naruko looked down at her feet. “G-good morning,” she stuttered, looking fearful once again.

Sasuke frowned. “It’s the afternoon now,” he said.  _ Why is she afraid of me again? _

Naruko flinched. She balled her hands into tiny fists and stared resolutely at the ground. To Sasuke’s dismay, her eyes were distressingly wet.  _ Was I too harsh or is she too sensitive? _

“Never mind all that,” Sasuke said, trying to reassure the girl. “I’m going shopping. Do you want to come with me?”

“Shopping?” she asked, wiping her nose with the sleeve of her yukata, leaving a trail of snot on it.  _ Good. Make it dirty. I want to burn that outfit. _

“We have to buy food for tonight,” Sasuke explained. “I also want to get you a change of clothes. You can’t just have one yukata.”

“Why not?” she asked. Thankfully, she no longer looked at the edge of tears.

“Because you need clean clothes to change into,” Sasuke explained. “You can’t wear the exact same outfit every single day for the rest of your life.”

“Oh, okay,” she said. She looked down at her clothes, obviously wondering what was so wrong with them. 

“Well, let’s go now,” Sasuke said. “Unless there is anything you need to do first?”

Naruko shook her head. “No, I’m ready.”

Sasuke nodded as he walked away, waving his hand to indicate for Naruko to walk behind him. They left the apartment building in silence, Naruko walking in his shadow. Sasuke kept his gaze focused on her from the corner of his eye as she followed him. Occasionally, she would stop and stare at something new and interesting before running along behind him.

A few times, she glanced at his right hand, as if considering taking it. However, she always looked away, balling her hands into fists.

“I’ll buy you new clothes first,” Sasuke said. He walked toward the main shopping street of Konoha. “Tell me if there’s anything in particular you want.”

She nodded, frowning nervously as she looked up at him. Sasuke scowled.  _ Am I really so scary? _

“We’re here,” he said as they entered the busy shopping street. “Stay near me so we don’t get separated.”

“O-okay,” she whispered. 

Sasuke breathed out heavily. He slowed his pace, walking past the stores and letting Naruko look through the windows. She stared at the different shops but said nothing. 

Sasuke continued, losing patience the more he walked down the street. As he walked, the citizens of Konoha panicked, parting to make way for him in fear.  _ Choose a store so we can go in! I’m getting tired of everyone looking at me! _

By the time they arrived at the end of the street, Naruko had yet to say anything. Sasuke stopped and turned around to stare down at her.

“Didn’t I say to stop me when you saw a store you liked?” he asked with a frown.

To his dismay, her eyes began to water again and she looked down at the ground. She grabbed onto the sleeves of her yukata with her fists. 

“I-I’m sorry, Sasuke-san,” she apologized. “I-I don’t know what I want.”

Sasuke exhaled to calm himself. He sighed and knelt down. Naruko jumped back in surprise as a single tear rolled down her cheek.

“It’s fine,” he said. “Let’s try again.”

She nodded, biting her lip. With her sleeve, she rubbed at her eyes, making the yukata ever dirtier.  _ Good, make it worthless. _

“Just pick a store and we can go inside and buy stuff,” Sasuke insisted. “Don’t think too hard about it.”

She sniffled. “Okay,” she whispered, keeping her eyes trained away from him.

Sasuke stood back up, beginning to walk down the street again. Naruko followed near him. He made sure to walk as slow as possible, letting the girl look around.

“Oh... um...” 

Sasuke stopped and looked down at her. She was staring at a large department store on the corner of the street. It was busy and expensive-looking. Sasuke immediately walked toward it.  _ Good thing S and A-ranked missions pay so well. _

He was instantly overwhelmed when he walked inside. A map at the front told him there were ten floors available for shopping. A variety of people were walking around, mostly parents with their children and teenagers wasting time. Employees sprayed perfume on anyone who walked nearby. Sasuke forced himself to suppress his growing panic.  _ Where do I even start? _

Naruko took a step closer to Sasuke. Sasuke was tempted to take her hand and reassure her. He suppressed the urge. He walked toward the map, Naruko at his heels.

“Oh, Sasuke-kun, is that you?” a soft voice called out his name from behind. He turned around.

Hinata was standing nearby, a small shopping bag hanging from her elbow. She stared at Sasuke curiously before her eyes turned to Naruko.

To his dismay, he realized how she looked to another person’s eyes for the first time. Her hair was tangled after sleeping on it and her yukata was dirty from playing in the sand earlier. He hoped Hinata would not judge him cruel. She was one of the few that had easily forgiven him for his previous actions.

“Oh, and who is this precious girl?” she asked, squatting down to look at Naruko more closely. Naruko stepped behind Sasuke’s legs and stared at the stranger, a nervous frown on her face.

“Her name is Naruko,” Sasuke said. “She’s... a girl.” He was not sure where to begin telling the story of Orochimaru and his work making a clone.

“Oh? Naruko, huh?” Hinata asked, standing up and meeting Sasuke’s eyes. “And what are you two doing here?”

_ She’s taking this entire situation surprisingly well.  _ “I’m here to buy some clothes for her,” Sasuke explained. “She currently only has that one yukata but...”  _ I have no idea what to buy her. _

Hinata seemed to understand his unspoken words because she nodded and glanced at Naruko again. She smiled.

“Well, sweetheart, it looks like Sasuke-kun is a little lost,” she said. “How about I help you find some nice clothes for you to wear?”

Immediately, Naruko’s eyes brightened as her frown disappeared. “Really?” she asked. “You’d help me?”

“Of course!” Hinata said with a smile. “I think another girl might be a little more useful than a grumpy old man when choosing clothes, don’t you think?”

_ Who are you calling old? We’re the same age.  _ Despite the remark, Sasuke forced himself not to sigh in relief. He barely had any idea how to shop for clothes for himself, let alone a little girl.

“Th-thank you,” Naruko whispered. She looked down at her feet and blushed.

“You’re welcome, Naruko-chan,” Hinata said. “Now,let’s go to the fifth floor. That’s where all the clothes for children are.”

She nodded, still looking down at the floor. Hinata giggled and began walking away. Sasuke walked behind her with Naruko at his heels. For the first time in a very long time, he was glad to have Hinata by his side. 

Together, they ascended to the fifth floor. As they walked, Hinata tried to make conversation, asking Naruko about her likes and about Naruto. Naruko replied with short answers, although over time she stopped hiding behind Sasuke and began speaking more confidently.

“Here’s the children’s section,” Hinata said once they arrived. “What kind of clothes do you need?”

Sasuke shrugged. “I’m not sure,” he said. “The only thing she currently has is that yukata.”

Hinata nodded. “So she needs a complete wardrobe, then. Let’s go look for something suitable. What colors do you like, Naruko-chan?”

“Colors?” Naruko blinked, tilting her head to the side in confusion. Sasuke’s heart twisted at the sight.  _ Why does she have to look like Naruto so much? _

“Purple? Green? Pink?” Hinata suggested. “Or we can just walk around and see if anything jumps out at you.”

“Oh, okay,” she said. “I’m not sure  _ what  _ I like.”

Hinata smiled. “All right then, let’s just browse.”

Sasuke stood to the side, watching Hinata leading Naruko through the racks. Occasionally, Naruko would point at an article of clothing. Hinata would then take it in her hands before giving it to Sasuke to hold. Sasuke stood nearby, holding the clothes as the pile grew.

They seemed to spend hours looking through the store as the pile of clothes in Sasuke’s arms kept getting bigger and bigger. With dismay, he checked the clock.  _ At this pace, we’ll be out of here at midnight.  _ He began tapping his foot impatiently, a frown on his face.

“Well, I think that’s enough for today,” Hinata said as she placed a dress on top of the pile.

_ Finally. _

“Now it’s time to try it on and make sure it fits,” she continued.

_ No!  _ Sasuke glared at Hinata, but she ignored him with unprecedented skill. Before he could protest, she took the pile of clothes from him and dragged Naruko toward a changing room. Sasuke sighed, both impatient and relieved.  _ At least she’s doing the hard part. _

He went to look for a bench to sit on. The people moved away, fearful of getting too close. Sasuke ignored them. He leaned back and stared up at the ceiling. He began to count the tiles. He had counted them four times over when Hinata and Naruko finally returned.

“I think we have a good selection now,” Hinata said. “We had to try a lot of things to make sure they fit.”

“I like orange and blue!” Naruko said, sounding excited at the simple prospect.

“Good for you,” Sasuke said. “Can I pay?”

Hinata giggled. “I think so, Sasuke-kun. We chose enough clothes for a complete wardrobe.”

Sasuke sighed in relief. “Good. Let’s go.”

Together, the three of them walked to the counter, a large pile of clothes in Hinata’s arms. He watched the employee scanning every item and adding the price up. 

He looked down at Naruko, who had been quiet since joining the line. To his surprise, she was staring at a gigantic doll of the nine-tailed fox, her eyes transfixed. Sasuke looked at the doll more closely with a frown.  _ The real Kyuubi is a lot scarier than that. _

“Do you want the doll?” Sasuke asked, making Naruko jump at the interruption.

“Huh?” she asked, turning her gaze up at him.

“Do you want the doll?” Sasuke repeated, pointing toward the Kyuubi doll. Naruko’s face reddened and she stared at the floor again, fidgeting with the sleeves of her yukata.

“I mean... uh... a little?” she muttered.

Sasuke turned his gaze between her, the doll, and the employee who was nearly done scanning all the items. Without any further hesitation, he used the Rinnegan to teleport himself to the doll and back again. The employee jumped back at the sudden appearance of the Kyuubi in front of him.

“Add this thing,” Sasuke ordered. The man nodded shakily and scanned the doll, adding it to their total.

“Th-that’s going to be 43,438 Ryo,” the man stuttered. Sasuke handed over the money without a word. 

He looked down at Naruko as he waited for his change. Her eyes were wide open in amazement as she stared at the doll in front of her. It was almost as big as her. With his remaining hand, he took it down from the counter and placed it in her hands.

“Thank you, Sasuke-san,” she said. She hugged the doll close to her, pressing her face onto its soft body. Sasuke smiled. 

Hinata giggled, throwing Sasuke a knowing look. Sasuke looked away, forcing his face not to blush. He received his change and grabbed the bags full of clothes. He began to pull Naruko away by the shoulder, the giant doll still in her hands.

“Bye, Hinata-san,” Naruko said, trying in vain to wave goodbye with both of her hands occupied. “Thank you very much for your help.”

“You’re welcome, sweetheart,” she responded with a kind smile before turning her gaze to Sasuke. “Good luck taking care of Naruko-chan, Sasuke-kun.”

“Hn. Goodbye.”

Sasuke used the Rinnegan to teleport them back in their apartment, leaving a small note behind in the store. Naruko blinked and looked around once she saw where they were. She swayed at the suddenness but didn’t react otherwise. 

Sasuke collapsed on the living room sofa with a sigh.  _ It takes a lot of chakra, but it does save time.  _

**O-O-O-O-O**

After dropping off their bags and the giant doll, Naruko changed into new clothes. Instead of her old outfit, she wore a pair of shorts and an orange T-shirt. As instructed, she handed over her old yukata. Sasuke wondered if it would be overkill to use Amaterasu to burn it. He decided to sleep on it.

“Your hair is a mess,” Sasuke said after she had given him her old clothes.

She flinched back, biting her lip. Her eyes filled up with tears. Sasuke grimaced.  _ Why do I keep making her cry? _

“You should brush it,” Sasuke continued, trying to make his voice softer.  _ I’m turning into my father. Am I going to start comparing her with someone older and more talented now? _

She nodded, unsure. Her hands fidgeted nervously as she looked up at Sasuke. “I don’t have a hairbrush,” she said.

Sasuke felt like slapping himself. He nodded and walked to his bedroom. He came out, Naruto’s brush in his hand. He sat down on the sofa and motioned for her to sit on the floor.

“Here,” he said. “I’ll help.”

Naruko bit her lip before doing as told. She sat down in front of him, giving him access to her long hair. He began to brush it, trying to be gentle but knowing that he was failing. To his relief, Naruko remained still, never wincing or crying when he pulled out a tangle. A few minutes later, her hair was no longer a complete mess.

“I’m done,” he announced.

“Oh... uh... thank you, Sasuke-san,” she said, still keeping her gaze focused on the floor.  _ Sometimes, she really isn’t much like Naruto. Naruto would be crying and whining the entire time. _

“Let’s go,” Sasuke said. “We still have to buy ingredients for dinner.”

He walked to the front door. Naruko nodded before following at his heels.

**O-O-O-O-O**

The rest of the evening passed without incident. After buying the ingredients, Sasuke prepared dinner for them while Naruko played with her new doll in the living room. She kept talking to it and hugging it, taking it everywhere with her, even the toilet.

_ Does she like it because Naruto has the Kyuubi or because kids are just weird?  _ He shook his head. He might never know the answer.

When he had nearly finished preparing dinner, he heard keys turning at the front door. Immediately, Naruko lifted her head up and grinned, eyes bright with happiness. 

“Honey, I’m home!” Naruto shouted from the entrance. “What’s for dinner?”

“Papa!” Naruko yelled.  _ Papa? _

She ran to the entrance in excitement, Sasuke close behind her. Together, they entered the main hallway, where Naruto was taking off his shoes.

“Naruko-chan!” Naruto greeted with a grin that shone like the sun. “You have new clothes.”

She nodded, taking a step back, quiet once again as she looked at the floor.

“Was everything okay with Sasuke?” Naruto asked as he finished taking his shoes off and walked inside.

Naruko nodded again. She kept her gaze focused on the floor as she fidgeted with her hands. Sasuke raised an eyebrow in confusion.  _ She was very excited just a few seconds ago. What’s with her now? _

Naruto seemed to notice the change in behavior as well because he knelt down in front of Naruko. Without hesitating, he lifted her up into a hug, making her yelp. Shyly, she wrapped her arms around his neck, returning the hug. The sight sent a strange fluttering sensation to Sasuke’s stomach. He swallowed, stomping down whatever feeling was threatening to come out.

“Dinner is ready,” Sasuke said, interrupting the display. Almost reluctantly, Naruto and Naruko turned to look at him.

“That’s great!” Naruto replied. “What’d you make?”

“Nothing special,” Sasuke answered. “Just katsu pork bowl with vegetables.”

“Vegetables?” Naruto said with an exaggerated grimace that turned into a defeated sigh. “Fine, I guess it won’t kill me to eat vegetables.”

Amused at the sight, Naruko giggled in his arms. “Orochimaru-sensei says vegetables are good for you.”

“They are good for you,” Sasuke said.  _ I can’t believe the snake bastard actually had something reasonable to say _ . 

“Yeah, yeah I know,” Naruto said with a heavy sigh. Naruko giggled again. He smiled at her before dropping her back down onto the floor. 

“Papa, come! Sasuke-san bought me a fox! It’s really big, y’ know!” Naruko yelled.  _ Sometimes she’s so much like Naruto. _

“Oh? Sasuke did?” Naruto turned to look at Sasuke, an eyebrow raised. Sasuke felt his face flush in embarrassment. Naruto smirked.

Naruto chuckled as he stepped inside, following Naruko as she pulled on his arm to take him to the living room. Sasuke headed to the kitchen counter and began to serve dinner, making sure to look at Naruto and Naruko from the corner of his eye.

“Look, Papa!” she said, pointing to the giant Kyuubi doll. “It’s a nine-tailed fox! It’s so cool and big, y’ know!”

Naruto laughed as he collapsed on the sofa. “Well, you’re right about that, I suppose,” he said. “Maybe one day you’ll get to meet one that’s even bigger.”

Naruko’s smile widened as she wrapped her arms around her new toy. She pulled the doll to take it to Naruto. He took it gratefully before pulling Naruko up onto his lap, holding both the doll and the girl in a hug. Sasuke’s heart began beating faster.

“So what did you do today?” Naruto asked, cradling Naruko. She went along willingly, collapsing into his arms without a fuss.

“Well, first Sasuke-san took me to the park,” she began, chatting excitedly. “Then he took me to ramen. And the ramen was really really good y’ know!”

“Oh? Ichiraku ramen?” Naruto asked. “They’re my favorite.”

“Did you really go there when you were a little kid, Papa?” she asked.

Naruto nodded. “Yeah. It’s my favorite restaurant in the whole world, ya know! So then, what did you do after lunch?”

“I took a nap,” Naruko confessed. “But then Sasuke-san took me to this really big store. And then I met Hinata-san. And then she helped me choose clothes. And then Sasuke-san paid. And then he bought me the fox.”

“Did he?” Naruto asked. He looked at Sasuke, who was placing the dishes on the table. Sasuke rolled his eyes.  _ It’s just a toy. She should have at least one. _

“Sounds like you had a good day today,” Naruto said, patting her head. He shifted her so her head was leaning on his chest. She followed along, holding her toy closer.

“I guess,” Naruko whispered, her face pressed into her giant doll. Naruto chuckled.

“It’s time for dinner,” Sasuke interrupted, looking at the two people sprawled on the sofa.

“Oh! It smells great, Sasuke,” Naruto said. He stood up, dropping Naruko carefully back on the floor. They walked to the dining table, Naruko still holding onto her doll.

“Hn,” Sasuke grunted as he sat down. “Just eat.”

Naruto thanked him for the meal before immediately starting to shove food into his mouth. Sasuke took smaller bites. 

He chanced a glance at Naruko. She stared at her bowl nervously. She looked up at Sasuke and swallowed. Sasuke raised an eyebrow. She looked back at her meal, a blush on her face. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes.  _ Don’t worry, I didn’t poison it. _

Struggling with her chopsticks, she took a bite of the katsu pork. Almost immediately, her eyes brightened and she hummed in pleasant surprise. She began to eat, shoveling food into her mouth almost as fast as Naruto. 

Naruto finished eating first, patting his stomach with a grin of satisfaction. Naruko finished soon afterward, putting her chin on top of the table. Sasuke looked at them, amazed by their similarities as he finished eating his own meal.  _ I guess the differences are just in my imagination. _

“I’ll clean up,” Sasuke said as soon as he had finished eating. “You two should spend some time together while I wash up everything.”

“Sure!” Naruto said, scratching the back of his neck. He looked down at Naruko. “Let’s go over there, Naruko-chan. Tell me more about your day, okay?”

Naruko smiled and nodded. Naruto extended his hand out, which she happily took. Hand in hand, they walked the short distance away to the sofa. Sasuke stayed behind to clean up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The final chapter will come out next week. Hope you enjoy this story! Sasuke doesn’t resent being called “grumpy” but he does resent being called “old.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Sasuke makes a decision.

As Sasuke washed the dishes, he listened to Naruto and Naruko talking and playing in the living room. He almost dropped a dish in surprise when Naruko screamed, although it took him only a second to realize it was from excitement. 

“Papa! Stop!” Naruko yelled through her laughter. “It tickles!”

Sasuke forced himself to breathe out and keep his attention focused on the task in front of him. Washing dishes was annoying enough with two hands, let alone one. He tried to ignore the sounds of joy emanating from the living room. 

Unfortunately, his mind could only think about Naruko. Every time he saw her, he felt a strange sensation in his stomach. He didn’t like it.

When he finished washing, he sighed, drying his hand on a kitchen towel.

“So how many new clothes did you get?” Naruto asked. He lounged on the sofa, looking at Naruko as she knelt on the floor next to her new doll. 

Naruko shrugged. “I don’t know, but Hinata-san spent so long with me! I think it was, like, thirty hours just trying on clothes!”

_ It did feel like that.  _ “I think it was closer to one hour,” Sasuke said, entering the living room. 

In an instant, her cheer was replaced with nervousness as she turned her gaze to Sasuke. Sasuke kept his face impassive.  _ I don’t know why she’s afraid of me. _

“It felt like thirty hours,” Naruko muttered. 

He sat down at Naruto’s side. Immediately, Naruto wrapped his arms around Sasuke in a hug. Sasuke leaned in happily. He felt like he never had time just to enjoy his husband’s company anymore. 

“How was she?” Naruto whispered in his ear.

Sasuke shrugged. “Fine. She’s better behaved than I expected. You were a wild child at that age.”

Naruto chuckled, holding on more tightly onto Sasuke. Sasuke burrowed closer into his husband’s side. They stayed together in silence, enjoying each other’s company as they watched Naruko playing on the floor. Wanting to keep himself busy, Sasuke pulled out a book from inside his jacket. He pretended to read while keeping an eye on the other two.

As expected, Naruto kept his eyes focused on the girl, a smile on his face. Occasionally, he would ask her a question or join in her game, but he stayed on the sofa, arms wrapped around Sasuke. His eyes were full of tenderness that he rarely got to see.

They stayed together like that for an hour or so. At one point, Naruko went to change into her new pajamas. Soon after, her head began to nod as she played. She collapsed on the floor, fast asleep with her arms around her new toy.

“She fell asleep,” Naruto whispered as Sasuke pretended to read.

“I noticed,” he said. 

Carefully, Naruto extricated himself from Sasuke. He knelt down at Naruko’s side and brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. He picked her up, tender and gentle as always. She nuzzled closer as she let go of her doll but didn’t wake up.

“I’ll tuck her in,” Naruto said. Sasuke nodded, placing his book back inside his pocket. Naruto smiled at him before carrying her away, leaving her giant doll behind on the floor. 

Alone, Sasuke sighed and sat up. He stretched his arm over his head and contemplated the situation. Naruto was becoming increasingly attached to the girl.  _ If he doesn’t stop, it’s going to be even more difficult to let her go. _

“She’s so cute when she’s sleeping,” a voice whispered next to his ear.

Sasuke sighed again. “I hope you’re not getting too attached, Naruto.” 

Naruto chuckled in embarrassment and guilt as he sat down next to him. “Perhaps I am,” he admitted. “Just a little.”

“A little?” Sasuke raised an eyebrow and stared at his husband.

Naruto rolled his eyes. “Fine, a lot. I can’t help it! She’s just so cute!”

“I suppose,” Sasuke said, keeping his gaze focused away from Naruto. They fell into silence as they cuddled on the sofa, each lost in their own thoughts.

“What do you plan to do with her?” Sasuke asked once the silence had stretched for a few minutes. “Do you have any people in mind to take her in?”

Naruto hummed to himself. “I considered Sakura and Hinata,” he said. “Except they already have kids, so they’re not the best option. I also thought about Gaara, except he’s the Kazekage and he already has one kid he adopted. Maybe Lee?”

Sasuke shuddered. “I’m not sure if making Naruko live in that household is a good idea,” he said. 

While Rock Lee and his son were kind people, they were often loud and overly enthusiastic about training and taijutsu. From what he had gathered about Naruko so far, she was much too calm and quiet for such a life.

Naruto chuckled. “Yeah, that’s why it’s been a pain trying to figure it out,” he said. “Honestly, we are probably the best choice out of anyone. A civilian or low-ranking family is not an option either, considering her heritage.” 

“And Karin?”

Naruto rolled his eyes. “I already asked her to keep an eye out on Orochimaru for me. I don’t want to go to Otogakure on a different day and find out there are five more mini-Narukos running around.”

They fell into silence once more.

“Is she truly your clone, Naruto?” Sasuke asked eventually. He began running a hand through Naruto’s hair.

“Huh? What do you mean?” Naruto asked.

“It’s just...” Sasuke paused to gather his thoughts. “It’s just that she’s not much like you,” he admitted. “She likes ramen and can be loud, but most of the time, she’s been quiet and patient. I remember you as a child. If you were in her shoes, you would have been crying and whining the entire time.”

“Wait... you mean you don’t... did I forget to tell you?” Naruto stared at Sasuke, eyes wide in guilt and face ashen.

“Tell me what?” Sasuke asked, feeling a sense of foreboding in the pit of his stomach.  _ What did Naruto forget to tell me this time? _

“Naruko is a clone of you, too!” He refused to meet Sasuke’s eyes at the confession, preferring to stare at the wall instead.

“She’s what?” Sasuke shouted, bolting up. He broke contact with Naruto to stare at him furiously.

Naruto winced before putting a finger to his lips in a gesture to be quieter.

“She’s what?” Sasuke repeated, keeping his voice slightly above a whisper.

“Oh... uh... I guess I did forget to tell you,” Naruto said. “I guess ‘cause I was thinking about how Orochimaru made her to be a container for the Kyuubi... I forgot to tell you that the bastard used  _ your  _ body too.”

“My body?!” Sasuke forced himself to keep his voice below shouting volume through sheer force of will.

“Well... uh... Apparently, the reason why Naruko is a girl is that Orochimaru took an X thingy from each of us,” Naruto tried to explain. “I don’t really get it though. He just said that he used both of our DNA for it.”

_ Is that why she has my eyes? _

“You should have told me earlier!” Sasuke said, a grimace on his face. Suddenly, a lot of his previous interactions began to make more sense.  _ No wonder the girl was so afraid of me. I’m technically also her father but I’ve only been cold and distant to her. _

“Yeah... I should have. Sorry, Sasuke.” 

To Sasuke’s annoyance, Naruto looked completely repentant about not telling him earlier. It made it difficult to stay angry at him. Sasuke sighed and collapsed back on the sofa, staring up at the ceiling. Naruto said nothing, placing himself underneath so that Sasuke’s head was on his lap. Naruto ran his hands through Sasuke’s hair.

“I like Naruko,” Sasuke finally admitted, breaking the silence. He looked down from the ceiling to meet Naruto’s eyes.

“Oh?” Naruto raised his eyebrows in surprise at the admission. “Did you change your mind about her staying with us, then?”

Sasuke grimaced. Finding out Naruko was biologically his changed everything and nothing at the same time.

“I’m not sure,” he said. “I don’t know if we could be good parents. We’re always busy with work or missions. Raising a child is difficult, to say the least. I’m not sure if we’re ready.”

“Is anyone ever truly ready for children?” Naruto asked. “Everyone we know says no one is ever truly ready for kids, no matter how much you prepare. You did a good job taking care of Naruko today, ya know.”

“You did a better job,” Sasuke said with a frown on his face. “She’s terrified of me. She calls you Papa. She only seems to want to cry when I’m with her.”

To Sasuke’s shock, Naruto laughed. “You intimidate her,” he said. “She thinks you’re really cool!. But she also thinks that you don’t like her and think she’s stupid.”

Sasuke’s frown deepened. “I don’t think she’s stupid.”

Naruto laughed again, harder than before. “I  _ know  _ you don’t. I told her that too. But you really need to be able to show your emotions more, ya know. I’ve only gotten good at it ‘cause I’ve spent so many years with you by now.”

Sasuke opened his mouth to deny his words before he stopped himself.  _ Now that I think about it, Naruto is right. _

“I hate when you’re right,” Sasuke muttered.

Naruto giggled, eyes full of happiness. “Well, I love it.” He grinned before his face became serious again. “So have you changed your mind about letting Naruko stay with us?” he asked. 

Sasuke hummed to himself, deep in thought. “I’m not sure anymore,” he admitted. “I... don’t know if I could be a good father.”

“You’re doing a decent job so far,” Naruto said. “You even bought her that giant Kyuubi doll. She loves it!” They stared at the doll as it sat forlornly on the floor.

“Parenthood is about more than just buying kids toys, Naruto.”  _ At the very least children shouldn’t be afraid of their parents. _

“I know,” Naruto said. “But will you at least consider it? There aren’t really any options for where Naruko can live. She will be staying with us for the foreseeable future anyway.”

Sasuke stared into his husband’s eyes, a frown on his face. Finally, he nodded. “I’ll sleep on it,” he conceded.

Naruto’s eyes brightened and he bent forward to press a kiss on Sasuke’s lips. Sasuke kissed him back eagerly, placing his remaining hand on his cheek.

“Speaking of sleeping, let’s go to bed,” Naruto said when they broke apart.

**O-O-O-O-O**

Sasuke woke up with a strange sense of uncertainty and foreboding in the pit of his stomach. He sat up in bed and scanned his surroundings.

Next to him, Naruto was sleeping, snoring soundly as he hugged a pillow to his chest. The clock on the wall declared the time as three in the morning. From outside, he could only hear cicadas and the occasional owl. It all seemed like a normal night. Nevertheless, he could not get rid of the dread building in his stomach.

Nervously, he stood up and left his bedroom. He hoped whatever problem it was, it could be easily fixed. At the very least, he could fetch a glass of water for himself. He entered the living room when he was immediately shocked to hear the sound of sobbing emanating from the sofa. He walked toward the source.

To his dismay, Naruko was curled up, sobbing alone as she hugged her giant doll up to her chest. She tried to suppress her sobs by burying her head into her toy. 

“Naruko?” he said hesitantly. At once, Naruko flinched and her sobbing grew heavier than before.

“What happened?” he asked, joining her on the sofa.

“Th-the ta-tap is too t-tall,” she muttered between sobs, her face remaining buried into her doll. “I-I c-an’t get wa-water.”

_ Is that all? _ With a frown, Sasuke walked to the kitchen sink. He grabbed a glass and filled it to the brim. He carried it back to where Naruko was sobbing miserably.

“Here,” Sasuke said, handing the glass to her.

However, instead of taking the offering, she shook her head and continued crying, harder than before. Sasuke grimaced.  _ I don’t think she’s actually upset about the water. _

He sighed. Before he could change his mind, he sat down next to her and pulled her onto his lap. She protested for a second before letting herself fall into his arm. He let her cry as he held her awkwardly, his one remaining arm holding her in place. 

After what seemed like an eternity, her breathing calmed and she stopped sobbing. Despite the end of tears, Sasuke held onto her, trying to offer the little comfort he could. They sat together in silence for a few minutes as Naruko’s breathing slowly returned to normal.

“I know you hate me and that you don’t want me,” Naruko finally said to break the silence. To Sasuke’s horror, her eyes welled with tears again and she hugged her giant fox toy closer to her chest. 

She wiped her tears away from her eyes, but they were quickly replaced as she kept sobbing, harder than before.

“No,” Sasuke said. “I don’t hate you. I’m... afraid, Naruko.”

“Afraid?” she asked, wiping her eyes with her forearm.

“I’m afraid that I want you,” Sasuke admitted. “My parents, especially my father, were never very warm. I’m afraid that I will be just like him. I... don’t want you to grow up the same way I did.”

“Oh,” Naruko answered, voice small. “You... don’t hate me?”

Sasuke snorted. The sound seemed to startle Naruko because she jumped. “Of course I don’t. I just was... unsure if I would be a good parent to you. I didn’t want to get your hopes up. I’m also not too good at expressing my emotions. I’m sorry.”

“Oh,” she said again. To Sasuke’s shock, instead of burrowing her face into the Kyuubi, she moved closer to Sasuke, placing her head on his chest. Sasuke hesitated a second before wrapping his arm around her, holding her close.

_ Is this what having a daughter is like? It’s not as bad as I thought. _

“Would you still like a glass of water?” Sasuke asked. 

Naruko nodded tiredly into his chest, her eyes beginning to close. Sasuke teleported himself next to the glass of water, Naruko still in his arm. He held the glass up to her lips for her to take a sip, already half-asleep. His heart panged at the sight.  _ She actually is really cute. _

She fell asleep in his arm, one hand holding onto her Kyuubi doll weakly. He stood up, Naruko on his hip. He began to take her to the guest bedroom before reconsidering. He turned and headed toward his own room instead.

He rolled his eyes when he stepped inside. Naruto hadn’t even stirred, remaining deep asleep.  _ And I thought I was going to be the bad dad. _

He set her down on the mattress. Immediately, she curled up into a ball, her doll held inside her arms. Next to the slumbering Naruto, she looked more like him than ever before. Sasuke shook his head. Without any hesitation, he laid down, Naruko between him and Naruto.

Sasuke lay awake, listening to their breathing as he forced himself to relax. A few minutes later, he was asleep.

**O-O-O-O-O**

“Huh? Naruko?” 

Sasuke was woken up by his husband’s voice. Naruto was sitting up in bed, staring perplexed at the small girl sleeping in the middle, hugging her giant doll up to her chest. Based on the light coming through the window, it was shortly past dawn.

“Hn, Naruto?” Sasuke said, sitting up while rubbing the sleep away from his eyes. 

“Did she crawl in during the night?” Naruto asked, keeping his voice a whisper.

Sasuke shook his head. “I brought her here,” he confessed.

“Huh?” Naruto tilted his head to the side and stared at Sasuke, completely shocked. Sasuke resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

“She was crying in the middle of the night,” he explained. “She calmed down, but I decided to bring her here instead of tucking her back into the guest room.”

“Huh?” Naruto repeated, looking even more lost than before.

This time, Sasuke couldn’t resist the urge. He sighed and rolled his eyes exasperatedly.

“I’m more surprised at how you didn’t wake up earlier,” he said. “She was crying pretty loudly. Aren’t you supposed to have super sensing?”

Naruto grinned bashfully, scratching his chin in embarrassment. “You seemed to handle it pretty well though, ya know.”

Sasuke collapsed back onto the mattress with a sigh, closing his eyes. “Why did I marry you again, idiot?” he grumbled.

Naruto giggled and laid back down on the other side of Naruko. “You thought I looked handsome in orange,” he answered cheekily.

Sasuke smiled, keeping his eyes closed.  _ That was just one reason. _ They lay in silence for a few seconds, peaceful together with Naruko in the middle, asleep and safe.

“Naruto...” Sasuke broke the silence first. He opened his eyes and turned his head to look at his husband. Naruto met his gaze, blue eyes bright as always. They always managed to take his breath away. Sasuke swallowed as Naruto looked at him expectantly.

“What is it, Sasuke?” he asked.

Sasuke swallowed. “Naruto,” he started over. “I... I think I changed my mind.”

“Huh? Changed your mind? About what?” He stared at Sasuke with complete sincerity. 

“About... Naruko.”

“What about Naruko?” Naruto still looked lost, Sasuke felt his face flush in embarrassment.  _ Stop being stupid. Can’t you connect the dots? _

“I think... she can stay,” Sasuke finally said out loud. 

It seemed to take forever for Naruto to understand what Sasuke meant. But when he did, his eyes brightened and he leaned forward to meet Sasuke face to face.

“Wait? What? You mean it?” he asked. His face was close enough for Sasuke to pull him into a kiss. 

Sasuke nodded, staring into his husband’s eyes.

“She’s... not a bad kid,” he said. “And... I think I might be more ready than I originally thought to take care of her.”

Naruto laughed. “I knew you would be.”

“She... told me she thought I didn’t like her,” Sasuke confessed. “But... I told her that I simply wasn’t very good at expressing my emotions.”

“I mean, you’re not wrong about that,” Naruto grumbled goodnaturedly.

Sasuke glared at him but didn’t deny it. Repressing emotions was, unfortunately, one of the legacies of the Uchiha clan. Naruto laughed, hard, until Naruko stirred, a frown on her face. Naruto bit his knuckles to prevent himself from waking her up. Sasuke stared up at the ceiling.

“So who’s going to tell her?” Sasuke asked once his laughing had subsided into small giggles.

“T-tell her what?” Naruto asked, giggles preventing him from speaking clearly.

“Tell her she’s staying with us.”

Naruto hummed to himself. “I think you should. I mean, it was kind of your decision, ya know.”

“You’re the one she calls ‘Papa,’” Sasuke argued.

“That’s because she thought you didn’t want her,” Naruto retorted.

“More reason for you to break the news. She already knows you want her to stay.”

“How about we tell her together?” Naruto suggested. “That way she knows it wasn’t just my choice and not just your choice.”

Sasuke considered the suggestion. He nodded. Together, they waited for Naruko to wake up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This story was so fun to write! I actually finished it really fast because I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Believe it or not, the first draft of this chapter was done on November 27, hahaha.
> 
> If you still use Tumblr after the purge, you can talk to me at waffledogwrites.


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